Ashes
by nathan-x
Summary: The Winx were defeated in the final battle against Valtor. Bloom is kidnapped by him and the threat of Valtor is omnipresent in the Magic Dimension. With the political atmosphere changing and no idea of their whereabouts, the Winx and the Specialists must save Bloom before Valtor makes his next move. [AU Season 3, Rated T for Adult Themes].
1. Chapter 1

**ONE**

* * *

Sky jabbed his sword at his opponent. Beads of sweat were falling of his face and his breathing was shallow. Sky didn't care. Even though his mind was racing with a million other thoughts, he focused on defeating the other man armed with a deadly sword.

 _Jab, thrust, sidestep_ , the movements repeated themselves in his mind. Never let your opponent see you distracted, Cordatorta's voice rang in his head. Take him by surprise. Gain the upperhand. Don't let your emotions get in the way of a battle. The latter stabbed itself into his brain like a spear, wringing out all the memories he was trying so hard to put behind him.

 _Don't let it get to you_ , Sky chanted like it was his mantra. He tried to block out all those painful memories of defeat; flames engulfing the place, magical beams of energy being shot in all directions.

Amidst all the chaos, only one thing stood out clearly. She was gone. There was no trace of her. She had just vanished. Sky could still hear her faint, desperate cries, protesting as she was snatched away by the pale skinned wizard, cackling evilly as they faded away in a billowing gust of smoke.

The anger was getting to him. Sky could feel the rage creeping through his veins. His fists clutched onto the blue phantomblade more tightly and he gritted his teeth in frustration. The prince couldn't block those painful memories of her just disappearing, leaving Sky to dwell in sorrow and misery.

"Ahh!" He yelled out a cry of fury, nailing his opponent square in the chest. He'd won. His anger had been channelled into the battle. Sky wasn't tired yet he was panting like he'd just run a marathon.

"Alright, that's enough lads. Sky wins the duel," Professor Housaam, the duelling teacher declared. Quimbly, his opponent, extended his hand to congratulate the prince for winning. Sky shook it briefly, keeping his eyes trained to the ground. It wasn't out of arrogance though. He was still angry and had he not controlled himself, his sword would've done more than just poke Quimbly's heart.

Sky knew it wasn't right for him to vent this kind of rage onto his classmates but he needed an outlet. He just needed to let it all out, but no matter how many times he did, the pain just wouldn't go away. His whole body was numb and everything was just so bleak and dreary.

It had been two weeks since Bloom was taken. Sky clearly remembered the date: April 2nd, 2006. Bloom was confident that by using her Dragon Fire to combat Valtor's dark one that she would be able to eliminate him. There were no drawbacks to her power. She had defeated the Trix and destroyed Lord Darkar. Valtor and Bloom bore the same power which was both a boon and a curse. A boon because she knew what weakened Valtor. A curse because whatever hurt Valtor also hurt Bloom.

Yet for the first time, Bloom and the Winx had suffered a devastating defeat. The monstrous form Valtor had exhibited was what Bloom had destroyed. His wizard one had returned, his eyes glowing blood red and a deadly aura surrounding him. Sky squeezed his eyes shut, trying not to remember what Valtor had done to them. He was hardly listening to what Housaam was saying.

"Class dismissed!" Housaam roared, snapping Sky out of his session of wallowing. Unfortunately for him, no one from his squad was in duelling class since it was exclusively part of the royalty stream of subjects, which meant only those who belonged to the nobility could opt for the course.

Sky pushed himself off the ground, but even that took a lot of willpower. He just wanted to fall back down and never get up again. It had been a rough year for him and Bloom. At the start of the school year they'd gotten into a petty argument and Sky didn't even remember what for. Then there was Diaspro spelling him with a love potion, her training on Pyros to get stronger, their mission to the Omega Dimension and now, she was gone. Valtor abducted her.

Valtor. The very mention of his name made his teeth grit and his fists clench. This was all his fault. All through their senior year he purposely targeted Bloom, trying to get her to break down and surrender. If Sky had the chance to face Valtor again, he vowed to put an end to him.

Sky had worked himself up into a hurricane of emotions. He had another hour of class before lunchtime and he had neither the physical nor mental strength to endure Professor Leonard's Strategies and Tactics class. He found himself slinking away from the duelling court and up to the third floor, where a few seniors would be whiling away their time. Their hangout was located in a remote corner, tucked away in a non-functional classroom.

 _I just need to be alone for sometime_ , he thought to himself. His friends were amazingly supportive but he needed to organise his thoughts and feelings. Bloom had been abducted twice and there was always someone or the other with a personal vendetta against her. Bloom was a danger to be around yet he loved her with all his heart. Sky swore to the ancient Kings of Eraklyon that he would never leave her side.

The smell of nicotine hit his nostrils before he could even administer what the classroom looked like. Sky had been exposed to second hand smoking a couple of times and the smell always made him cringe. However this time, it awakened something inside of him. An unsatisfied hunger was lurking around, screaming and shouting, begging to be pacified.

Sky suppressed his inner turmoil and stepped into the room. It was hazy and grungy and the air had a musty odour to pale yellow walls had cracks running along them and haphazard patterns of dried red paint were splattered across the floor. There was a single window, a small, circular one with a single ray of faint golden light pouring through.

"So that's why this classroom is closed off," Sky muttered to himself. After all, it wasn't the ideal picture of what Red Fountain represented.

"Hey Sky, is that you?" Sky jumped slightly, but the voice was familiar. A tall, chiselled boy stepped out from somewhere in the room. His copper brown hair was glinting in the sunlight and his sun kissed skin was practically glowing. It was Pete, son of the Duke of the Second Sun in Solaria.

"Pete, sorry. I thought I was alone. I"ll leave now," Sky said hurriedly, bowing slightly out of habit.

"No wait man, it's cool. Stay with me, I could use some company. Unless you're planning on ratting me out, then I'd have to kill you," Pete said cheekily. Sky however, wasn't amused.

"I have other things to worry about than ratting you for smoking and ditching class," Sky replied coolly. Besides, it would backfire on him because then he would have to explain why he wasn't.

"Kay Sky, but I'm gonna finish this cigarette, so uh...don't mind me."

Sky watched as Pete inhaled and let out wisps of translucent white smoke. Every time he did so, his fingers would relax and his breathing would steady. His body become loose, as if every time he took a drag of the cancer stick, his worries would just go away. Sky knew that Pete was under a lot of royal pressure, to handle things in Solaria just like his father was. When Cassandra and her daughter Chimera briefly held power, rumour had it that Chimera was soon to be engaged to Pete. At least he was one person Sky could relate to when it came to kingly businesses.

"So, how are things in Eraklyon? Is your dad pressuring you into taking the throne?" Pete asked, snapping Sky out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, the sooner the better, according to him."

"Shitty year, right? The pressure of finals, being King, women problems..." Pete's voice slowly died down at the mention of women. Sky clenched his fists. His anger was coming back. Why Bloom? Why did you give in so easily? Why did you leave me? Don't you care about me?

His mind was being hammered with these persistent thoughts. Now he was angry Bloom. Angry at Disapro for stooping so low and teaming up with Valtor. Sky wished these women were never there in his life, saving him the trouble of anguish and heartbreak.

"Sky, I think you need to take a chill pill, y'know, de-stress. Here, try it. It helps." Pete took a cigarette from the box and lit it, whilst simultaneously crushing his finished one. He held it delicately between his fingers, offering it to Sky.

"No thanks, I don't smoke." He'd been offered a cigarette a couple of times and had no problem saying 'no'. But this time, there was a fire inside of him that needed to be quelled. His mind was berating him, scolding him for saying no. He needed a distraction. He needed to forget.

"Actually Pete, I'll take it," Sky said, just as Pete was about to take a drag. Wordlessly, Pete handed it over to him. Sky studied it for a few second, getting to know what a cigarette was like. The flame offered to it was greedily eaten, the tip pulsing with a faint amber glow. The nicotine invaded his nostrils and surprisingly, it soothed him. He just wanted to let go.

Sky took a deep breath, brought the cigarette to his lips and slowly inhaled. The smoke rapidly filled his throat, causing him to choke but that feeling was soon replaced by a warm, tingly one. It filled his entire body and enveloped him in a fiery embrace. He felt his body go limp and his mind relaxed instantly. It was like his brain was shutting down and letting go of all his worries and his fears. Sky sighed, his mind, body and soul at peace.

* * *

Sky and Pete smoked in the abandoned classroom until the lunch bell rang. It echoed through the corridors like a lost soul wandering through an abyss, waiting to be found.

Sky had only one cigarette. He knew he wouldn't get addicted, he knew how to control himself. When the lunch bell rang, Sky took his own time to leave the classroom, inhaling the clouds of nicotine left by the cigarette. He didn't feel so hungry; it was as if the smoke had suppressed his usually monstrous appetite. Still, he had to make an appearance or his friends would be worried.

 _I don't feel so agitated anymore_ , Sky thought to himself as he entered the giant dining hall. He spotted his squad sitting at one of the central tables. Grabbing his food from the lunch line, he made his way over to the table.

"Hey Sky, where've you been?" Brandon asked cheerfully, like nothing was wrong. It was just an act though. He was trying to make it seem like nothing was wrong. Sky was grateful to his closest friend but no matter how much he tried, it just didn't work. Brandon would have felt the same way if it were Stella who was taken.

"In Red Fountain," Sky replied vaguely. He didn't want to tell his friends that he'd been smoking; he felt embarrassed and ashamed of himself for caving in.

"You know Sky, if you have negative thoughts right now, then letting them go would help you," Helia probed gently.

"Thanks Helia, but I've got nothing to dispel," Sky replied half-heartedly.

"Ah well, we tried. He doesn't want to talk, that's okay," said Riven. He didn't look too interested in the Prince's plight, but that was Riven. He was worried too but he didn't believe in his emotions getting in the way. "For all we know, Bloom could be dead," he added.

"Riven!" Helia chastised softly. Sky's ears were burning. He wanted to get up and punch Riven in the face, but he didn't. He was so angry with him for saying that, yet he was glued to his seat. Riven's snide little comment was raising a dreadful feeling that he tried to bury at the back of his mind.

What if Bloom was dead?

Sky gripped the table, his knuckles becoming white. He was barely registering Brandon and Helia's argument with Riven. No, he said to himself. Bloom's not dead.

"Bloom's not dead," he said weakly. "She's not dead!"

"Of course she isn't Sky," Timmy replied. Throughout the boys' entire tirade, Timmy had stayed quiet. Sky turned to look at him. Behind his glasses, Timmy's light brown eyes were shining an emotion he hadn't seen in the past two tumultuous weeks; hope.

"If she's alive then you'll be able to feel her presence. The Dragon Fire can't be put out easily. Whatever you decide to do Sky, I"ll have your back," Timmy told him earnestly.

'Thank you Timmy." Out of all of his friends, Timmy was the only one who knew what it felt like to have his girlfriend trapped somewhere, knowing that she was in imminent danger. Timmy hadn't tried to force Sky into talking and respected Sky's personal space.

Brandon opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by Nabu running into the hall.

"Guys, Miss Faragonda's calling us to Alfea. There's someone who wants to talk to us."


	2. Chapter 2

**TWO**

* * *

A flurry of emotions started racing through Sky's body. Who was there? Did they bring news about Bloom? Was she alive? Was she safe? Was she dead? Sky's thoughts kept juxtaposing themselves as he and the others rushed to Saladin's office.

"Saladin said that he's going to transport us to Alfea. The Winx'll be there too," Nabu informed.

"Did grandfather say anything to you, like what this is about?" Helia asked.

"No. He just told me that someone wanted to talk to us personally."

"Do you think they may have located Bloom?" Brandon asked hopefully.

"Well, we'll find out in a minute. Hopefully it's good news," Riven replied, locking eyes with Sky. His violet eyes were narrowed and he kept his gaze with Sky. The former street rat was giving him mixed emotions, speaking volumes even though he didn't say a word. Sky figured that Riven was trying to apologise for earlier. That was just Riven's stubborn way of communicating.

"Let's hope for the best," Sky murmured as they reached Saladin's office. Nabu knocked on the door and was instantly greeted with a "come in." Saladin stood inside, his hand firmly gripped around his staff.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush here boys," Saladin started. "We do not have much news on Bloom, but that doesn't mean we start assuming the worst. We must maintain a positive attitude and try to help as much as possible," he said intently, mainly focusing on Sky. Without any further word, Saladin tapped his staff on the ground once and uttered the magic words:

"Transportus Alfea!"

* * *

Faragonda's office looked the same: bright orange walls, a forest green desk and a tall bookshelf filled with thick volumes of spellbooks and historical texts. The Winx girls stood by the desk, their heads hung down in sorrow and their eyes red and puffy, presumably from crying. Flora had a crumpled tissue paper in her arm and her hazel green eyes were threatening to spill with tears. The girls still looked radiant, but their beauty was mirred by grief because their sixth member was still missing.

When the specialists arrived, there was a small scuffle and the girls smiled, but none of them made any effort to go hug their boyfriends. Sky assumed it was because they were in school, but at the back of his mind he wondered if his friends stopped themselves for his sake.

Besides the boys, the only thing foreign in Miss Faragonda's office was a dark skinned man dressed in formals: a dark red blouse and ebony trousers. He wore dark sunglasses even though Faragonda's office did not have much sunlight pouring into it as the curtain had been drawn.

"Boys and girls, this is Agent Ardieus from-"

"The Androsian Protection Service," Nabu interrupted, finishing Faragonda's sentence. He seemed to have realised that what he had done might have been considered impolite and quickly muttered an apology.

"That is correct, Lord Nabu. We are an elite force on Andros, working in tandem with the nobility and dedicated to the safety of our planet. We have some of the best fighters and wizards working with us, protecting our inhabitants from any sort of danger." Ardieus' eyes trained on Nabu for a moment, giving Sky the impression that these were the 'security guards' Nabu had learned his tricks from.

"From what we understand, the eleven of you were the last to see Valtor during a battle on Prisoners' Island?" Ardieus asked. There was a collective nod.

"Valtor had kidnapped Sky, Brandon, Riven and Timmy," Stella began, pointing out the four boys. Sky felt rather ashamed that he'd Valtor take him down so easily. He kept his head bowed slightly as Stella continued.

"So the girls and I, along with Nabu and Helia, went to go rescue them. Since Bloom-" Her voice faltered for a little bit. "And Valtor share the same power of the Dragon Fire, Bloom was able to locate him and, you know, toss him around a little."

"She'd been finding so many ways of trying to to beat him," Aisha continued. 'There was one spell which she'd learnt from a book in the restricted vault of Alfea. The esscence of her power would travel inside Valtor and she was going to try and put of Valtor's Dark Fire with her fairy dust."

"Valtor was some kind of monstrous creature," Brandon piped up.

"When Bloom, uh, went inside of him, he was having some sort of inner battle within himself," Riven added. The thought of Bloom inside Valtor's body, fighting him while trying to keep herself alive made Sky sick to the stomach.

"Her life was on the line as she was battling him," Sky spoke up. His voice sounded hoarse and gravelly, probably from the smoke.

"Everything was fine for a moment. Bloom killed monster Valtor and returned to her body. We were celebrating and...and Valtor's wizard form suddenly came back. There were the black flames everywhere and his eyes were glowing red. Those flames were so dark, none of us could see anything and by the time we could, Bloom and Valtor were gone. The only things I could hear were her screams for help." Sky concluded.

He clenched his teeth and massaged his temples. He was trying his hardest not to cry, but the tears were threatening to fall any moment. Flora had had started sobbing and collapsed onto the floor. Helia and Musa were by her side, comforting her. Sky tried his best to not look in their direction. His hearing was starting to go fuzzy and his eyesight was blurry. The ground was starting to spin and Sky staggered. Still feeling disoriented, he grabbed onto the nearest chair and sat himself down.

Ardieus, on the other hand, did not seemed to be fazed by the teens' sudden ourburst of emotions.

"So in a sequenced order, four of you are taken by Valtor and held on Prisoner Island. Valtor issues a challenge and the rest of you go to look for your friends. Bloom is able to locate Valtor because of the Dragon Fire connection. The twelve of you confront him, he turns into a monster and Bloom's Fire goes inside of his body to battle him. She destroys the monster but he returns as a wizard and that is the last you see of Bloom."

"Yes sir," Tecna replied quietly.

"Boys and girls, I do not want to induce any panic, but the safety of Bloom is of paramount importance. Not only because what Valtor might do to her, but her powers as well," Faragonda explained.

"We've already seen the devastating consequences of what happens when the Dragon Fire enters the wrong hands," Saladin added. A cohesive shudder ran through everyone as they remembered the Trix' reign of terror two years ago.

The very thought of Valtor touching Bloom, abusing her and stealing her powers chilled him to the bone. All he wanted to do was strangle Valtor, but suddenly, he felt scared. Valtor had easily crushed him the last time they'd faced off. He was a powerful wizard and bearer of the Dragon Fire.

 _And I'm just a silly little Prince trying to be a hero,'_ Sky thought to himself glumly. Heroics 101 was to remain positive, but all Sky wanted to do was curl up in a ball and numb his thoughts. He was itching for another smoke.

"I don't believe all hope is lost, Agent Ardieus,"We can find Bloom, I know it," Timmy's voice piped up. Timmy had a tendency of doing that, remaining quiet throughtout most of these discssions. Sky knew that he was listening and formulating a plan in his head.

Ardieus studied Timmy for a moment. If he'd taken off his glasses, Sky would probably be able to understand his expression better and what he might have been thinking.

"You are Timmy of Magix, son of Jim and Barbara, terralogists working with the Earth-Magix council?" Ardieus asked.

"Yes sir, that's me."

"You're also the one who located Lady Tecna of Titania in the Omega Dimension."

"Y-yes, I did, but Tecna had made a transmitter which made it a whole lot easier to track her down."

"Then maybe this invention of yours might be successful with locating Princess Bloom, even if she did not have a trasmitter?" Ardieus drilled.

Timmy glanced at Sky, then turned back to the Agent. "We've tried, sir. See, the device works when you feed it powerful emotions about the person you've looking for. However, the problem is the device needs a location to start scanning and we don't know where Bloom is."

"I see."

"Boys and girls, I do not want to induce any panic, but the safety of Bloom is of paramount importance. Not only because what Valtor might do to her, but her powers as well," Faragonda intervened.

"We've already seen the devastating consequences of what happens when the Dragon Fire enters the wrong hands," Saladin added. A cohesive shudder ran through everyone as they remembered the Trix' reign of terror two years ago.

The very thought of Valtor touching Bloom, abusing her and stealing her powers chilled Sky to the bone. All he wanted to do was strangle Valtor, but suddenly, he felt scared. Valtor had easily crushed him the last time they'd faced off. He was a powerful wizard and bearer of the Dragon Fire.

 _And I'm just a silly little prince trying to be a hero,_ Sky thought to himself glumly. Heroics 101 was to remain positive, but all Sky wanted to do was curl up in a ball and numb his thoughts. He was itching for another smoke, to make his body go numb and to just loosen up again.

"The reason I called you all here is because Andros is conducting a search to find Bloom and Valtor. Since you were the last eyewitnesses to see them, we thought you might have information that might give us an insight as to where Valtor might have taken Bloom."

"What if they aren't on Andros?" Helia asked.

"All the other planets are on high alert and will be keeping an eye out for Valtor. Even though most of the spells he took have been restored, his still has some valuable ones which unleashed, can do some severe damage."

"What can we do to help, Agent Ardieus?" Aisha asked- no, demanded. She was always a headstrong girl, eager to delve into action.

"You won't be doing anything. From now on, the Magix Council has decided that no student from Alfea, Red Fountain or Cloud Tower shall partake in any field missions to go and stop Valtor or any of his accomplices. Failure to adhere to these rules will result in serious punishment."

Sky felt his heart drop. What? How was that fair? They were the ones that had faced off Valtor more than anyone else. They were familiar with his fighting style. If anything, Ardieus and the whole of Magix should have been grateful to them. They saved Cloud Tower- and the Winx had done so twice. Luckily for Sky, everyone in the room seemed to voice the same sentiment.

"Miss F, you can't be serious!" Musa screeched.

"Yeah, we've fought Valtor before and we were close to beating him!" Brandon argued. "C'mon, Professor Saladin, you can't actually be agreeing to this!" However, both the headmasters were shaking their heads.

"I'm sorry students, but we just cannot take the risk. Valtor is a powerful wizard and the last time you fought him, one of you was abducted." Faragonda said sadly.

"Valtor also has the power of the Dragon Fire with him," Saladin said.

"This is nuts!" Sky exclaimed loudly. His eyes looked like they were about to bulge out of their sockets. "Bloom would never turn against us! She's a pure soul and she will fight if Valtor asked her to do something she doesn't agree to!" Sky vented. He'd spoken with such ferocity that some of his friends, namely Flora, were staring at him with their mouths slightly ajar.

"We aren't implying that Bloom would turn over to darkness, Prince Sky," Ardieus said coolly. "And as for the rest of your questions, the Magix Council's decision is final. Leave the hunt and the fight for the experienced. The elite forces of all the planets have agreed to help.

Good day to you and if you remember something about Valtor, please give me a call," Ardieus finished, handing a card to Saladin and Faragonda. A second later, he teleported, presumably to Andros.

The teens' bad mood continued even after Ardieus left. Most of them were sulking or silently complaining to one another. For once, Sky was grateful for being Prince of Eraklyon. If he were able to convince his father and the Eraklyon Royal Guard to join the fight, then he would have a better chance of searching for Bloom.

"Well boys, we'd better be heading back to-" Saladin was interrupted by a holographic message coming from Faragonda's crystal ball. Sky peered at it, curious to know who it was.

 _Maybe someone knows something about Bloom,_ he thought excitedly and his heart started racing a little.

However, a worried face popped up instead. A pixie, rather tall for her species, with a saffron dress, earthy green hair and a large, pale mauve jewel on her forehead appeared. It was Queen Ninfea of the pixies.

"Miss Faragonda, please send somebody quickly," she was saying and she sounded urgent. "It's Lockette."

* * *

 _thank you to all those who reviewed!_

 _I prefer the name Titania for Tec's home planet rather than Zenith. It has a more historical vibe to it._

 _Constructive criticism appreciated._


	3. Chapter 3

**THREE**

* * *

"It's Lockette. She starting to awaken and it looks like she's trying to say something," said Queen Ninfea.

"Thank you, your majesty. I will send someone to Pixie Village," Faragonda replied warmly. The holographic image of Ninfea faded away and Faragonda turned to Sky and his friends.

"So are you going to send someone to Pixie Village? Or are students not allowed?" Riven asked, sarcasm dripping from his voice. Helia and Musa simultaneously nudged him in the ribs. If Faragonda noticed, she chose to ignore it.

"As Queen Ninfea's request does not entail anything to do with Valtor, yes, I will be sending two of you to Pixie Village," Faragonda consented. "Aisha, you will be going to Pixie Village because you know the location. If Saladin agrees, then Sky will accompany you."

"Me?" Sky mouthed, pointing at himself. Not that he minded going to the Village, but what use would he be? Lockette and Sky didn't exactly see eye to eye, mainly due to their silent competition over winning Bloom's affections. Lockette was also extremely protective around Bloom ever since the Diaspro fiasco, she often treated him with hostility.

"Yes Sky. You and Bloom have a bond, which might help Lockette. Her magical esscence is slowly fading away due to the separation between her and her bonded fairy and the lack of knowledge of her whereabouts," Faragonda explained.

"Lockette is the Pixie of Portals. If anyone had the power to locate Bloom, it would be her," Tecna added on.

"In that case, I give Sky permission to go to Pixie Village," Saladin approved with a firm nod of his head.

"But Miss F, we love Bloom too. She's one of the Winx," Musa countered. "Shouldn't one of us go instead?"

"Yeah, Miss, Musa's got a point," Stella agreed. Sky felt his stomach drop and his heart clench. There was no way he was going to lose this opportunity to get more intel on Bloom. Judging by the looks on the girls' faces, it sounded like they were questioning his love for Bloom.

"I mean, no offense, but we're way closer to Bloom than Sky is," Stella added and confirmed Sky's sneaking suspicions.

"I care about Bloom as much as you girls do," Sky retaliated, keeping his voice levelled. "If this is because of the Diaspro incident, you know that I was under Valtor's spell."

"Which is why you shouldn't go! I was the one who introduced you to Bloom, I was there everytime you did something other the other! Plus, you've already been beaten by Valtor twice! Who's to say he won't strike again and this time, get you out of the picture!" Stella shrieked.

Sky's vision went red. He was livid, fuming with rage. How dare Stella try and insinuate that he didn't care about Bloom? He spent all those weeks, worried out of his mind about her, pacing up and down his room and trying everything he could to try and find her. Now some spoiled little bitch was trying to tell him that he wasn't a good boyfriend? He would show her!

Sky felt the veins in his head and biceps accentuate as his body started to tense up in unfiltered anger. Princess or not, he stepped forward, ready to smack some sense into her.

"I do care for her! More than any of you ever will!" He bellowed.

"Stop!" Brandon cried, stepping in between his best friend and his girlfriend. "Guys, you're not mad at each other, you're mad at Valtor. Don't take your anger out on the wrong person."

Sky instantly recoiled, stepping back in shame. He usually didn't let anger get the best of him but today he stepped out of the line. He muttered a quick apology to Stella, who mirrored his actions.

"Alright, that's enough. My decisions is final. Aisha and Sky, you will take the Wind Riders and go to Pixie Village. The rest of you will go back to class," Faragonda said firmly. "Dismissed."

Saladin transported the boys back to Red Fountain, whilst the girls reluctantly dragged themselves back to class. Aisha's steely gaze was boring into Sky's soul and if looks could kill, Sky would be six feet under. Clearly she did not appreciate Sky belittling her friend.

"C'mon," Aisha barked, her chocolate brown eyes filled with determination. "Let's go to Pixie Village."

* * *

Alfea, surprisingly, had three wind riders. Unfortunately, two of them were already being used which left the duo with only one other option: sharing one bike.

"At least we'll be saving diesel," Sky muttered as sat back, allowing Aisha to access the controls. She had made it clear that she would be the one driving. Sky had no energy or the willpower to argue with her. Besides, he knew that she would get her way eventually, so why prolong the inevitable?

On the other hand, Sky had to admit that Aisha was a good driver, probably better than half the student population at Red Fountain. Her manouveres were effortless, unlike Bloom's, who would alternate between pressing the accelerator with full force or as lightly as a feather. Sky chuckled at the memories of attempting to teach Bloom how to drive a Wind Rider.

After a fifteen minute drive, they reached a clearing. Aisha parked the Wind Rider by a tree and locked it.

"We'd better walk the rest of the distance. The sheer power of the Rider might blow away Pixie Village."

"Listen, Aisha...I'm sorry about what happened earlier in Faragonda's office," Sky said nervously, scratching the back of his head. "I'm just really worried about Bloom."

"All of us are."

"I know. I just feel really bad."

"It's whatever." Aisha's responses were clipped, which clearly meant that she didn't want to make conversation. He sighed and continued walking after her.

Spring had just begun to blossom in Magix and the forest was living proof. The rains, both mighty and mild, had slowly started to cease, allowing the lush green grass to flourish on the forest floor. Transparent dew drops could still be seen, gently dripping off the blades. The clearing was also home to a myriad of wild flowers, each stunning shades of violet and scarlet and magenta. It felt truly magical.

Sky felt a warm emotion spreading it's way through his heart; hope. Hope and rebirth was what spring was always associated with. The chance to rediscover beauty.

 _I will find you Bloom,_ Sky told himself. It might take him months, or years, but he would never give up on her.

"We're here," Aisha announced, snapping him out of his reverie.

It had been almost a year since he'd been to Pixie village. That was when Icy had froze the entire village, trying to find the Codex for Lord Darkar. When Sky and the others had last visited, there were still thin sheets of ice blanketing the ground.

The village had recovered well; it reflected vibrancy and life. The tiny vermillion houses were embroiled in petit string lights, emitting a soft amber glow. The pixies were fluttering around happily, going about their usual activities.

"Jolly, where's Lockette?" Aisha asked a pixie dressed in an odd garb of red and green.

"In Ninfea's palace. Is this the same thing that happened to Digit when Tecna was in the Omega Dimension?" Jolly asked.

"Yes Jolly, it is."

"Oh no! So Bloom's in danger?"

"Don't you worry Jolly, we'll find Bloom, safe and sound," Aisha said softly.

 _Kind and gentle Aisha is a side of her you don't see much,_ Sky mused. At least, not towards him or any of the guys, save for Nabu.

"Aisha Enchantix!" She suddenly cried, and in a flash, she was dressed in a pale green skirt and top with glittering golden wings. She tugged at the turquoise vial around her neck and poured out of fistful of fairy dust onto her palm, sprinkling it over herself and Sky. His legs were feeling tingly and he felt his legs and arms and torso compress and shrink until finally, he was the size of a pixie.

"Woah, cool! Hey, how come you never did this for Bloom when we went to the Red Tower?" Sky questioned.

"Because she's an Enchantix fairy with her own fairy dust. " Without saying another word, Aisha jumped into the air and started fluttering her wings in the direction of Ninfea's palace, leaving Sky to run after her.

* * *

Queen Ninfea's palace was a sight to behold. The magnificent palace radiated and oozed grandeur, projecting a commanding presence. An army of towers stood tall and mighty under the opalescent sky, scintillating with tiny diamonds embroiled delicately into the rooftops. If Sky weren't four inches tall, be would never be able to truly appreciate the beauty of the the pixies' palace.

"Princess Aisha," the guards greeted. "Her Highness has requested us to tell you to take the first flight of stairs, then enter the sceond room on the right."

"Thank you," said Aisha. She took off without waiting for Sky - again - and flew up the stairs.

"Hey, wait for me!" He exclaimed. She could miniaturise him, but she couldn't give him a pair of wings?

Never again would he take being of 'giant' stature for granted. Running through the regal halls and climbing up a long stairwell wasn't easy without wings. Sky reached the room, panting and huffing. Aisha was poised outside the door, ready to knock. She shot him a scathing look.

"So much for all that training. You're already tired?" Sky wanted to point out that he'd ran through half of pixie village, then ran up a thirty step staircase, but he didn't want to start another quarrel.

 _Damn it, I shouldn't have smoked,_ he cursed himself.

"Come in," a silvery voice beckoned them inside.

"Queen Ninfea," Aisha and Sky murmured, curtesying and bowing respectfully.

The first thing Sky registered was the colour of the walls. They were just so...white. So white and pristine that they almost blinded his eyes. The room gave off the vibe of an infirmary; the wafting scent of herbal tea, mixed with the malodourous smell of rubber gloves and some sort of natural medicine.

"Lockette!" Aisha gasped, running over to her side.

Lockette's frail body lay limply on the bed. Her skin was deathly pale and her eyes, despite being open, looked tired and exhausted. Those pools of cerulean were glazed with misery and there was an air of defeat hugging the young pixie.

"Ai-Aisha. Sky. You're here," she squeaked faintly. She tried to get up, but Queen Ninfea gently set her back down.

"You're still weak. Relax," Ninfea said soothingly.

"Bloom. Bloom's in danger," Lockette whimpered.

"Tell them what you saw, Lockette."

"A dream. I had a dream about Bloom. She spoke to me."

"Were you able to find her location?" Sky asked, keeping a distance from bed. His body was starting to shake a little because she both excited and anxious at the same time. Bloom had reached out to Lockette! At the back of his mind, he was disappointed because she didn't try contacting him, but Sky pushed that thought aside.

"I'm not the pixie of portals for nothing," Lockette said weakly. "When I was able to speak with Bloom, I felt a little bit of my magic coming back to me. She's not in Magix. She's in-" Lockette coughed- "Another planet, where it's cold and dark and lonely."

Sky's smile faltered. "Do you know where exactly?"

"I-I'm not sure. She was calling out to me in my dream. I could feel our bond. She was telling me to come and find her. She's trapped and she was calling for me, the Winx and you, Sky."

Sky's heart skipped a beat. Bloom had called out for him. So she was alive, but where was she? Sky didn't know whether to feel relieved or worried.

"So did she say anything specific like any coordiantes? Did anything stick out in particular?" Sky pushed on.

Lockette burst into tears. "I'm sorry! I don't know!" Despite her voice being faint and dry, she still sounded hysterical.

"It's alright my dear. Thank you, Prince Sky and Princess Aisha. You may go back to your schools." Ninfea ushered them out of the room.

"But-" Sky started to say, but Aisha shoved him through the door. There was so many things he wanted to ask Lockette. He could get some useful information out of her.

"Prince Sky, Lockette needs to regain her strength. Right now, she's extremely ill," the Queen explained.

"No! Wait, Queen Ninfea, please, let them stay for some more time," Lockette begged. Her eyes were stil glistening with tears but they were pleading, desparate for them to stay. The look of helplessness mirrored Sky's expression when Bloom was taken. He didn't know what to do. He was an angry mess, slashing and screaming blindly.

The Queen gave in, permitting entry. Sky barely noticed. His body seemed to have a mind of its own. Sky strode over to Lockette's side, encompassing her tender hands in his calloused ones. She had a different type of bond with Bloom, one that was similar to Sky's. They were experiencing the same thing and no one could empathise with them except each other.

"We will find Bloom," he declared. "I know she's out there."

"Y-yes, Prince Sky," Lockette breathed, her cheeks glowing a soft shade of babyy pink. Sky could feel some sort of power envelope him, a new found determination coursing through his veins. It was calling out to him, asking him to harness it, to explore, to take control. A fire that couldn't be quelled.

 _'Sky!' Someone screamed. A woman's voice. A tender voice, one that made him weak in the knees._

 _'Bloom!' He could hear her voice, but couldn't see anything. He was floating over light mauve clouds. They were like giant balls of fairy floss, an ethereal paradise._

 _'Find me Sky. Find the secret in Alfea and you'll find me..' Her foice faded amongst the clouds, becoming a whisper in the wind._

 _'Bloom wait! What secret?' The clouds were disappearing and he was there was nothing beneath him, just blackness. He was the shell of a Prince who was circling around endless paths, trying to find his love. He was falling, falling..._

"Sky!" Aisha's deep voice brought him back to reality.

"Wh-what happened?"

"You and Lockette blacked out at the same time!"

"Did you have a vision?" Ninfea enquired.

Sky nodded. "I saw Bloom! Well not saw, but I heard her voice! She wants me to find her! She said find the secret in Alfea."

"That not what Bloom told me," Lockette frowned. "She told me to use our fairy-pixie bond to find a land lost in eternal darkness."

"We have to get started!" Sky exclaimed, pacing around the room.

"No. I will be informing the Magix Council about these development," Ninfea said firmly. Sky's jaw dropped. No! They would run the investigation their own way, use bland and cheap tactics and a whole lot of scientfic nonsense. They would never find her.

"If you were going to tell the Council all along, then why call us?," Sky interrogated belligerently, his hands folded across his chest. He might have come off as arrogant but after the recent proclamation issued by the council, he was still embittered.

"Sky!" Aisha hissed whilst throwing Ninfea an apologetic look.

Ninfea sighed. "I know how the Magix Council conducts their investigations. They would drill Lockette and pester her constant questions. She wouldn't be able to take that kind of stress. She woul have talked to you more willingly."

Unbelievable. Sky was just being used as a puppets for the lawmakers to get their way. He had gotten precious information on his Bloom (she had come to him) and now, he was being forced to surrender it to the Council.

"Good day to you, your majesty," Sky muttered sarcastically, bowing a little before turning on his heel.

* * *

"What was that?" Aisha screeched once they'd gotten onto the Wind Rider. She had contemplated flying away and leaving him here, but he was able to follow her and steal the keys, blackmailing her into resizing him in return for the keys.

"You behaved like a rude...asshole! You're not the only one who cares about Bloom, so get your head out of your ass, okay!"

"Aisha, please can you just shut up? I'm sorry I acted the way I did, but I'm just so pissed off right now!" Sky snapped. This time, he wasn't feeling so bad about fighting back.

Aisha pressed on the brakes and the bike catapulted to a halt. Sky was unceremoniously pushed off. She turned around to face him so fast Sky nearly lost balance. Her nostrils were flared and her jaw clenched tightly. She was seething.

"News flash, _your highness_ : all of us of angry!" The Androsian Princess bellowed. "It doesn't mean you can going around acting like a jackass to the Queen of Pixies!"

"What is your problem? Why the hell are you always against something me or the other guys do?" He retaliated. Aisha stepped forward, ready to smack him when something caught her eye. She put one hand to her mouth and pointed in the general direction of Alfea.

Sky's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.

Across the forest, beams of purple lightning were being fired from all directions, creating a crackling noise. Desperate squeals and cries felt faintly upon his ears and the ominous laughter of an evil mastermind echoed through the trees. Sky's hero complex kicked in and his brain went into overdrive.

Valtor was here and this time, Sky wouldn't let him get away.


	4. Chapter 4

**FOUR**

* * *

The Alfea protective barrier had been put up, which meant that the school had not suffered any real damage. However, with the constant magical assault, it looked like it wouldn't last much longer.

"What's attacking Alfea?" Sky murmured. All the attacks seemed to be focused on breaking the top point, which meant that they couldn't see anything.

"I don't know, but I'm sure Valtor has something to do with it," Aisha growled.

"Let's go after him then!" Sky declared. He was sick of hiding behind some thorny bush. He started to get up, but Aisha pushed him down.

"No! We need a proper plan. Remember what happened the last time we confronted Valtor? He overpowered us easily," Aisha reasoned.

"I say we try to fly up there and weaken it."

"We don't know what we're up against." The creature seemed to have heard Aisha's point and swooped down low, shooting the barrier with those purple beams.

"What are those?" Aisha gasped as they finally got a good look at the creature. It had the head and torso of a man, with coarse, scarlet hair on the legs and giant claws instead of feet. The arms seemed to merge with giant wings, ruffled with feathers of a deep ruby red. It's eyes were ebony marbles and the nose was sharp and poignant, giving it a birdlike appearance.

Sky slapped his forehead. It was some sort of bird-human hybrid.

"Some sort of bird-human hybrid," he echoed his thoughts. "Look, Valtor's mark!" The purple insignia was etched into the neck of flying man.

"How many more are there?"

"I don't know, maybe four."

"Alright," Aisha said briskly. "My fairy dust should be able to break the spell." In a flash, Aisha transformed into her glittering enchantix mode, ready to fight the attackers.

"Stay put, I may need backup," Aisha called. Sky nodded and brandished his phantomblade. Aisha hovered up to the bird man, fairy dust bottle in hand. Flying in a circle above him, she waved the bottle in a synchronised pattern and sprinkled the dust straight onto the emblem. The creature shrieked as the dust embedded itself deep into the mark, glowing with a faint white light. Sky briefly remembered Stella using her fairy dust on him. He wondered if it really felt that agonising.

"Aiee!" The hybrid let out a blood-curdling scream as it broke free from the spell.

"Impossible! That's never happened before!" Aisha yelped. She narrowly missed the bird hitting her with one of its enormous wings. The only thing she had succeeded in was making the bird mad. It let out another deafening screech and within seconds one more had flown over, trapping Aisha in a winged circle.

"Hold on, I'm coming!" Sky shouted, swinging into action. He ran to the Wind Rider, which was parked by a tree. The two of them had surprisingly agreed on not bringing the bike close to the scene of action. Using the Rider to bring himself to the height of creatures, Sky slashed one of the creature's wings, allowing Aisha to escape. The hybrid howled and its comrades focused their attention on Sky. He gulped, but nonetheless, braced himself for their deadly talons.

None of that ever happened. "Morphix Bubble!" Aisha hollered, entrapping the birdlike men into soft yet firm pink bubbles of manipulated water molecules. The creature pounded but their escape seemed unlikely, or so Sky thought.

"I can't keep them like this much longer!" She struggled, gritting her teeth. The creatures were trying to claw their way out of their prison with their sharp claws.

"Green Luxuriant Ivy!" A delicate feminine voice lilted in a sing-song voice. Forest green roots emerged from the ground, squeezing the creatures whilst still keeping them trapped in the bubble.

"Flora! Am I glad to see you!" Sky laughed, breaking into a grin. On the other side of the barrier, Flora and another fairy fluttered in front of them, concentrating their powers to keep the creatures from breaking free.

Flora looked like an angelic flower princess in her enchantix form. Her golden brown skin elegantly complemented her silky locks of honey coloured hair along with the added benefits of the enchantix; shimmery pink coloured eye shadow and a light, rose coloured mini dress.

She smiled. "We were getting worried about you two! How is Lockette?"

"Long story, but she's getting better. What are those things?"

"Solarian Aquilas!" One of the fairies chimed in. She had strawberry blond hair tied into a ponytail and wore a sparkling cherry red crop top and a slitted mini skirt for her fairy attire.

"They're this kind of pseudo legend in the kingdom of Red Star on Solaria. They've been guarding us from invaders for centuries," she added. Judging by the fairy's overtly ruby red appearance and her knowledge on Aquilas, Sky deduced that she was from Red Star.

"Fairy dust doesn't seemed to be working! Is there another way?" Aisha shouted over the shrieking Aquilas. The fairy didn't get a chance to reply as the other three Aquilas attacking the highest point had successfully broken their barrier.

"Oh no," the redhead gasped as the Aquilas shot their crimson beams at the fairies and Alfea.

"The others are trying to join their brothers!" Flora exclaimed. "Sky and Anneliese, you guys help the other fairies! Aisha and I will take care of these Aquilas!" With a crackling flash, Flora was outside the shield with Aisha whilst Sky was perched atop the rider, hovering next to Anneliese. _Another new power gained by the enchantix_ , he thought to himself. Unwillingly, Sky turned away and followed Anneliese as Flora and Aisha took on the deadly Aquilas.

* * *

Inside Alfea, Palladium was waving his hands around wildly.

"Freshman and sophomore fairies, fly down here!" Palladium instructed. Anneliese immediately nosedived and joined her schoolmates in front of the professor and Sky imitated her action with the Wind Rider.

"Attention fairies!" He commanded. "Freshmen and sophomores, separate yourselves, grade wise!" After a bit of scuffling, Palladium continued. "The first eighteen in line from each grade will join me in securing the barrier. The others will be led by Prince Sky from Red Fountain and assist the seniors!" Palladium declared.

"Me?" Sky mouthed, looking flabbergasted. He remembered a tidbit of information from class: a hero should never back down from leadership, no matter how tough the battle. He got off his Wind Rider, still carrying his sword and faced the group of Alfea fairies, his troop.

Sky spot varying emotions amongst a sea of faces; some frightened, some determined, others darting their eyes from left to right, not sure what they should be feeling. His eyes trained on his troop. His eyes lingered on a familiar red haired fairy. Sky blinked. For a minute, he thought it was Bloom, with the same freckles and rosy cheeks. But the fairy's eyes were a popping amber colour. Anneliese. Her brow was furrowed and her eyes were trained on her commander: him.

"Right," he said, breaking eye contact. "Valtor is just trying to undermine us. He thinks we're weak and that he can take over the universe without a fight. But he's wrong," Sky's voice was low and deadly. "We will fight back. We will never stop fighting back. Valtor will not win!" Sky hadn't even noticed the amplitude of his voice increasing. He was surprised to see many of the fairies sharing the same kind of fervorous sentiment.

"The first twelve of you, guard the fairies protecting the barrier!" The fairies immediately flew towards their school mates and concentrated their energy into making shields. Sky looked towards the others. There were twenty two of them left, he noted. Anneliese was still standing with the troop. Her determination never wavered. Her fists were clenched and she was ready for action.

"Fairy dust does not seem to be working on the Aquilas. We have to find some other way to beat them. I don't care whether you are a freshman or a sophomore, we will fight together as a school! For Alfea!" Sky raised his sword high into the air. The blue phantomblade glittered like a thousand stars under the mighty rays of the sun. A chorus of 'for Alfea' rippled through the fairies as they jumped and fluttered their wings, ready to fight for honour.

Valtor will never win, ever, Sky thought to himself as he charged with his troops, firing counter beams at the Aquilas, or in Sky's case, waving his sword, slashing at them.

"Prince Sky!" Anneliese called, flying over to him. "We aren't going to kill them, are we?"

Sky paused. The fairy dust wasn't working on them and if they didn't stop the Aquilas, they would end up destroying Alfea and possibly, Red Fountain and Cloud Tower.

"Fairy dust isn't working on these guys. We're trying to find another way," he explained.

Anneliese spun around frantically, firing scarlet beams as the three Aquilas tried to make their way further into the school. Despite Palladium and the other fairies flowing energy into the barrier, the Aquilas were still strong, clawing their way and pushing themselves inside.

Slightly fazed, Sky glanced towards the right, where Flora and Aisha were battling the other two Aquilas. Tecna and another fairy, Amaryl, had joined them. They were still firing bolts of magic and trapping the creatures in vines and magical barriers, but to no avail.

"Please don't hurt them. There has to be someway to break Valtor's spell. Shall I go to the library to find out more on Aquilas?" Anneliese asked anxiously, cutting through his thoughts.

"There will be no need for that, Miss Anneliese," a deep voice spoke from behind them. He raised a translucent green shield, defending them from the Aquilas beams.

"Professor Avalon!" Anneliese gasped. Avalon's long, black hair, usually plaited neatly was now hanging in loose tendrils and flying haphazardly in the wind. Despite his unruly hair, it still framed his face well, making him look like a determined warrior.

"What do you mean, Professor?" Sky had spent his junior year loathing the man, who subtly lusted after his girlfriend and in the end, that Avalon was imposter. Sky didn't know the real Avalon that well but needless to say, he preferred this one better.

"Valtor is not invincible; he is just stronger at this moment. Which means we need to adapt and becoming stronger to defeat him."

"So what do you propose we do, sir?"

Avalon stroked his chin for a little bit, then spoke. "Have any of the fairies tried using their fairy dust?" Sky narrated the incident of how Aisha had tried hers on an Aquila and that it didn't work.

"The Aquila was not affected, hmm?" Avalon mused. "Then perhaps we just need more fairy dust."

"More, as in a large quantity?" Sky asked dumbfoundedly. If Sky's question sounded stupid to Avalon, he didn't show it.

"No, my dear prince. I mean more fairies using their fairy dust. A convergence ring."

"A fairy dust convergence ring? Of course! Professor, you're a genius!" Anneliese grinned. Avalon's face, however, still remained expressionless.

"Do not be jubilant just yet. We have to see if it works." Avalon jumped into the air, creating more shields for frazzled fairies about to be attacked.

Without wasting another second, Sky sprung into action. "Freshman fairies fighting the Aquilas, assemble down here!" he bellowed. When a small group collectively arrived, Sky continued.

"Get all the enchantix fairies to use a convergence fairy dust ring to break the spell! Distract the Aquilas while the others create the ring!" He commanded. The fairies sounded a 'yes sir!' and flew off to spread the message. At the same time, Sky got onto his Wind Rider.

"Anneliese, you and those other two fairies, come with me," said Sky, gesturing to two flustered brunettes shooting beams, one in a green outfit and the other yellow.

"Klara, Jillian, come with us!" Anneliese called. Sky beckoned the three of them to follow him to where Flora and the others were fighting the other two Aquilas.

"Professor Palladium! Can you make an opening in the barrier?" Sky yelled. Palladium frowned, but nodded.

"Yes, but only a small gap. Once I make the hole you'll have to fly out quickly and stay outside. We can't take the risk of the Aquilas entering close to the school!"

"No problem!" Sky spotted a small opening emerging, just enough for him and his bike to fit into.

"Girls, follow me!" Sky revved up the speed of the engine and motioned for the fairies to follow him. Swiftly, the four of them manoeuvred their way out of the school. As quickly as it opened, the gap they squeezed out of disappeared. There was no turning back now.

* * *

Aisha, Flora, Tecna and Amaryl looked defeated. Their attacks were noticeably weaker. At some point, Stella and Musa had joined the fight against the two persistent Aquilas but weren't faring well either. They were panting heavily and Amaryl was kneeling on the ground, managing with a weak chartreuse shield.

Sky got off the Rider and hid behind a tree, the other three fairies mimicking his actions.

"Alright," he whispered. "Klara and Jillian, you guys distract the Aquilas. Anneliese and I will shield the Winx and tell them the plan. The two girls were trembling but nonetheless, they complied.

"Thorn Spear!"

"Lightning Claw!" The Aquilas weren't expecting the attack from behind. They shrieked loudly and flapped their wings wildly. Next to him, Anneliese shuddered and whimpered sympathetically.

"Hopefully the fairy dust works," she murmured. Now that the Aquilas were disoriented, Sky and Anneliese made their move.

"Winx!" He cried, dodging the Aquilas crimson beams. They were only a few metres away.

"Anneliese, now! Put up a barrier!"

Anneliese's hands were shaking and a few teardrops were running down her pale cheeks. Her amber eyes were were trained on the Aquilas, slashing their at Klara and Jillian, flapping their enormous wings, trying to hit the two fairies whilst they counter attacked them.

"Oh, the poor creatures," Anneliese sobbed quietly. The plight of the Aquilas was too much for her. There must be a personal connection, because they're from Red Star, Sky thought. He felt a rush of empathy. This was exactly how he felt every time some villainous monster took his Bloom away from him.

"Anneliese, listen to me," Sky spoke calmly, grabbing her shoulders gently. Her cheeks reddened slightly. "We're going to help the Aquilas. They aren't conscious of their actions at the moment and if we don't stop them, who knows what will happen." Sky thought about the incident that happened a few months back, when Diaspro spelled him into...loving her. He might have not done much damage physically, but Bloom and Brandon and the rest of his friends still carried those emotional scars.

He stared into Anneliese's watering eyes. Her shiny red locks of hair, her pale, creamy skin and her hesitant yet determined nature; everything just reminded him of when he first met Bloom.

"Believe in yourself and believe in Alfea, Blo...Anneliese. We will break the spell and Valtor will pay," Sky told her confidently. Anneliese let out a sigh and nodded.

"Garnet reflection!" She cried, kneeling down on one knee and putting up a giant, scarlet shield that covered him and the Winx.

"Sky! You're here!" Stella let out a sigh of relief. Musa smiled, albeit weakly.

"Hey man, about time you got here," she grinned, punching him lightly on the shoulder. Besides her, Amaryl, who was already on the ground, gave out. She collapsed on the ground and reverted back from her fairy form. Tecna immediately rushed to her side and scanned her with some sort of device that looked like a ladybug.

"She's used up a lot of her magical energy and is slightly dehydrated, but she'll be alright," Tecna announced. "Aisha, do you think you can replenish her water supply?"

Whilst Aisha and Tecna handled Amaryl, Sky turned to the other girls.

"Winx, we have a plan," he informed. "In order to remove the spell, you guys are going to have to do a convergence fairy ring. Klara and Jillian will kept the Aquilas distracted while Anneliese keeps a shield up for you guys to create one."

Tecna grumbled slightly. "Now why didn't I think of that?"

"Alright winx, get ready to kick some Aquila booty!" Stella cheered. Sky hoped that Anneliese didn't hear that.

The five girls organised took their colourful fairy bottles and began waving them about in their own unique shape. The fairy dust merged into a ball and the winx organised themselves into a circle, holding their sparkly, gloved hands with each other and closing their eyes, concentrating on making the fairy ring. The the white, shimmering dust began to grow bigger and bigger and soon, it became a blinding white light.

"Anneliese, remove the shield! Klara and Jillian, get ready to get out of the way!" Sky ordered, getting his sword ready. Anneliese quickly retracted the shield and the Winx flew over the Aquilas, striking them with their converged fairy dust.

The Aquilas screamed loudly as the dust seared through the marks and into their necks. A dark purple light was emitted as the the dreaded symbol faded away. They gave one last faint cry of desperation and slowly fell to the ground, alive but exhausted. Some remnants of the enchanted fairy dust fell upon Sky's azure blade.

"We did it, girls!" Musa exclaimed exuberantly as the winx hugged one another.

"I'll go tell Miss Faragonda that these guys are okay," said Tecna, flying off. Stella and Musa followed suit, carrying a weary Amaryl with them.

"Sky, Jillian, Klara and Anneliese, thank you so much for helping us!" Flora beamed. Sky and the two fairies smiled widely. Aisha created two squishy baby pink bubbles for each of the Aquilas and instructed Jillian and Klara to take them to the Alfea campus. They obliged and flew with the hybrids.

Only Anneliese wasn't rejoicing. She was kneeling by the Aquilas side on the ground before they left, softly stroking their wings. She stayed in the same position, idly fiddling with a blade of grass. Sky strode up to her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, they'll be fine. We'll send them to the nurse to heal them," Sky smiled. Anneliese gave him a halfhearted smile in return.

"I'm glad these two are okay. What about the others?" she asked quietly, turning her head in the direction of Alfea. The fairy dust ring had worked and two unconscious Aquilas were now being transported to the ground, carried by Miss Griselda.

Sky frowned. Weren't their three Aquilas?

Anneliese noticed too. "Hang on a second. Where's the third Aquila?" she questioned, knitting her eyebrows together.

"Maybe it flew off when they started the convergence attack?" Aisha suggested.

Suddenly, a deafening screech echoed around Alfea. The Aquila had returned and this one looked angrier and bigger than the other four. Valtor's mark had spread like poison around the Aquila's body. His peachy skin was now a sickly shade of dark, aubergine purple, like his skin had been bruised time over. The wings had onyx spikes sticking out of it and the teeth were pointed and a disgusting shade of yellow. It was as if the Aquila had been disfigured by the spell.

"Oh my goodness," Aisha mouthed.

"What happened to it?" asked Flora, mortified.

Anneliese, who had been silently biting her lower lip, stood up. Her knees were knobbly and fists were clenched. Hot, angry tears were flowing down her flushed cheeks like a waterfall.

"How dare he? How dare Valtor do this to the sacred creatures of Solaria? He will pay for this!" Anneliese roared tempestuously. Her fiery red cheeks matched the colour of her hair and her transparent pink wings took flight into the air, straight in the direction of the apoplectic Aquila clawing at barrier, hellbent on destroying anything in its way.

"Anneliese, no!" Sky howled. She had no idea what she was up against

"We have to stop her!" Sky cried anxiously, running towards his Rider. Unfortunately, the Rider didn't have enough horsepower to fly all the way to the top, but Sky was going to push the machine to its limits.

Under the safety of the barrier, panic was ensuing. Some of the students were pointing up in the direction of Anneliese and begging her to come down, to stop her madness.

Sky gritted his teeth as he pushed the Rider up to a higher altitude. The bike was protesting but Sky persevered. He had to stop the Aquila before it did anything to Anneliese. He brandished his phantomblade and what he saw surprised him. The sword was bathed in a mesmerising, brilliant blue flame, emphasising on the sharpness of the blade.

 _It must have been because of the fairy dust_! He thought.

Sky had no time to admire the newfound beautiful transformation of his weapon. Anneliese hovered ,transfixed, in front of the Aquila's beady eyes. Even as the Aquila flapped its mammoth wings, generating gusts of wind, the fairy was stationed in her place, unfazed and motionless.

"Let me help you," she said quietly in a silvery voice. "Let me release you from this ghastly control of evil."

Anneliese closed her eyes and stuck her arms out in front of her, palms facing the direction of the offending creature. A crimson light formed around her entire body and sparks of red stars were starting to form around her palms. Her back arched and her mouth fell slightly open as all of that energy began flowing towards the Aquila like a stream of blood.

The Aquila squawked in protest, trying to resist the magic but in vain. A purple light was starting to surround it but unlike with the other two Aquilas, the light kept fluctuating. The Aquila was trying to stop the spell.

Suddenly, there was another bright flash of light. Anneliese was glowing and after a few seconds, the light faded away, but Anneliese looked...different.

Her red hair, once tied in a ponytail, now fell freely over her shoulders. A velvety, satin dress, the colour of blood, now covered her slim body. It had two, crossed straps going across her neck and fell into a v-neck. A red, oval bottle rest in between her cleavage, connected to her dress by silk threads. The dress was flowy, falling to her thighs, exposing her slender legs. Wintery, pearly white glows, adorned with shimmering specks of glitter, covered her most of the length of her arms. Baby pink barefoot sandals, embedded with a shiny golden jewel in between her big toe, snaked up her calves. Anneliese was drop dead gorgeous.

Sky couldn't believe his eyes.

"No way," Sky murmured. Anneliese had defied all odds and become an enchantix fairy. At such a young age, without fully mastering her magic, the fairy of Red Star had achieved her final form.

Besides him, Flora and Aisha too could not fathom what they were seeing. Everyone was speechless and in shock.

Anneliese remained in the same position, hovering in the air, eyes closed and body floating in the shape of a bridge, still glowing a vibrant deep red. Her ruby red lips were parted wide open, breathing slowly and heavily.

Looming in front of her, the giant Aquila still struggled against the spell, bellowing and screeching loud decibels of cries.

"In...control!" he rasped. Valtor's mark was alternating between dark and light shades of violet. His giant form started convulsing and veins throbbed and pulsed erratically. The Aquila wailed agonisingly, kicking his talons and flapping his wings uncontrollably. His yellow teeth were bared viciously, as if preparing for an attack.

"Valtor!" The Aquila shrieked in a hoarse voice. His mind and body were caught between the struggle of loyalty to the wizard manipulating him and the fairy who worshipped him as the guardian of her kingdom.

What happened next could not have been predicted nor stopped by anyone. Anneliese remained like a stillborn baby, fixed in one place. She didn't bat an eyelid as the Aquila's massive body started twisting and turning, shooting blood red beams of lighting in all directions.

It happened so quickly, Sky could barely react. The Aquila's sharp claws cut Anneliese's skin, opening fresh cuts everywhere. The crimson beams grazed and impaled her body, tossing her about violently and rupturing her smooth skin. Her silky red-golden wings were bent and ripped in gruesome ways Sky never imagined.

The final blow was delivered with one flap of those armoured wings. It crashed into the fairy's battered body. One could hear the crunch of the bones as the wing sent the body thrashing into the ground, breaking the fragile barrier into shards and sending Anneliese's figure straight into the heart of Alfea.

"Anneliese!" Sky sobbed loudly as her limp body lay unmoving in a six foot deep crater, blood seeping from deep wounds across her body. How could this be happening? First Bloom and now, innocent, pure hearted Anneliese.

"Valtor, you will pay for this!" Sky bellowed, enraged. His bones felt like they were on fire and his heart had just exploded into a million pieces. His skin was hot and sweaty and all his mind could think about was one thing.

 _Kill that monster._

Sky throat rumbled, then let out a loud cry of fury. He could feel it starting all the way from his abdomen, resonating through his throat. Sky thrusted the Wind Rider further upwards, ignoring its protests. His newly enchanced sword was gripped tightly in his hand as he stormed his way into the Aquila's vision.

He doggedly dodged the Aquila's lumbering efforts to swat amd squash him, concentrating on one area: his neck. He narrowly avoided the sharp talons and feathery wings to get a gpod angle.

Despite his best efforts, the Aquila's deadly canine pierced into his shoulder. Blood started seeping from the wound and stained his white uniform, but Sky didn't care. He had to fight. For Alfea. For Anneliese. For Bloom.

"For Magix!" Sky declared, bringing the Rider close to his target and stabbing his sword into Valtor's mark. The blue flames engulfed the mark in a hungry frenzy, scorching through the paralyzed creature.

Dots were starting to appear in front of his eyes. His body was beginning to feel dizzy and disoriented. He could no longer sit upright and felt his sword slowly slipping through his fingers. Sky's eyelids drooped and the last thing he was was blackness as he tumbled off his Wind Rider, falling at an alarming speed towards the ground, plummeting to an acrid death.

* * *

 _sorry for the delay, but updates will be slow due to my hectic study schedule._


End file.
